Canada Khalistan love has now reached a new and serious turn, where relations with India have already turned sour, while the Canadian government has taken another big step for the sake of its Khalistani vote bank. Yes, we are talking about the Hardeep Singh Nijjar murder case, in which the Canadian government has decided to directly prosecute four Indian citizens. After this decision, the case will proceed directly to trial without any preliminary hearing, and this could prove to be another tough blow for the Indian government.
Canadian government’s decision and status of India-Canada relations
Activism by Khalistan supporters in Canada and sympathy for Indian terrorists has already strained relations with India. India has several times appealed to the Canadian government to take action against Khalistani terrorists, but Justin Trudeau’s government does not seem ready to come out of its Khalistani vote bank politics. Now, as the Nijjar murder case has taken an even more complicated turn, the Canadian government has announced direct prosecution against four Indian nationals.
Under the Criminal Code of Canada, this is a very special power of ‘direct indictment’, which is used only in special circumstances. There is no preliminary hearing in this process, and it is an important step that takes the case straight to trial. This is usually applied only when there is a threat to the safety of witnesses or other interviewees or when the matter is of particular sensitivity.
Nijjar murder case stance and accused
On June 18, 2023, Khalistan supporter Hardeep Singh Nijjar was murdered in a Gurudwara located in the city of Surrey, British Columbia. There was a major political stir in Canada after Nijjar’s murder, and the Indian government demanded strict action from Canada in this matter. Canadian authorities arrested four Indian nationals in May 2023, who are accused of conspiring and carrying out Nijjar’s murder. The arrested accused include the names of Karan Brar, Amandeep Singh, Kamalpreet Singh and Karanpreet Singh.
However, there was no significant progress in the judicial proceedings of the four accused. The hearing was continuously delayed and the accused were granted leave from appearance five times. But now the Canadian judicial system has decided that these accused will be directly prosecuted and the case will go straight to trial without any preliminary hearing.
Canadian government’s politics and intentions behind it
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has made the Nijjar massacre an important issue in his country’s politics. It appears that the Trudeau government is using this issue to satisfy its Khalistani vote bank. The number of pro-Khalistan Sikhs in Canada is quite large, and the community plays an important role in elections. To keep these Khalistani supporters happy, the Trudeau government has many times made statements against India and criticized Indian leaders.
This step of the Canadian government, in which it has decided to directly prosecute the accused, appears to be a part of the same politics. This also makes it clear that the Trudeau government is moving towards spoiling relations with India to cater to its domestic Sikh vote bank.
India’s strong resistance
The Indian government has always demanded Canada to take strict action against Khalistani terrorists and criminals, but the soft policy of the Canadian government is making the issue more complex. The Ministry of External Affairs of India has repeatedly expressed deep concern over this matter and has said that openly supporting pro-Khalistan elements is a threat to Indian sovereignty. India has repeatedly appealed to the Canadian government to take action on this issue, but no concrete steps have been taken so far.
The Nijjar murder case has currently become the cause of a major diplomatic controversy, in which tension between India and Canada is continuously increasing. This is not only affecting the relations between the two countries, but it could also be part of efforts to reactivate the entire Khalistan movement.
Khalistan’s influence in Canada
The strength of pro-Khalistan organizations is continuously increasing in Canada. The main objective of these organizations is the establishment of an independent Khalistan state, and they have at times resorted to violence for this purpose. The number of Sikhs living in Canada is in lakhs, and this community has become an important vote bank. Pro-Khalistan organizations have increased their activism within Canada, and the government has continued to ignore these groups.
After the murder of Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada, it becomes even more important to understand how organized and effective Khalistani groups have become. It is not easy for the Canadian government to take strict action against these groups, because it can spread dissatisfaction among the Sikh community, which can be electorally harmful.
What will happen next?
It will be interesting to see what happens next when this case is heard in Canada. Will Canada further deteriorate relations with India for the sake of its internal politics and the Khalistani vote bank, or will it find a solution to strengthen its diplomatic position with India? At the same time, this matter is also an opportunity for India to send a strong message that the Indian government will not hesitate in taking strict action against the countries supporting Khalistan.
Ultimately, this case will not only define the relationship between Canada and India, but it will also mark a turning point in the future of the Khalistan movement and the politics of the Sikh community at the global level.
